Dial



I May 23,1939. 7 E. K MADAN I 5 5 DIAL Fi1ed Se pt. 5, 1956. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

" 'llllllllllllillilm E TOR' 1 ATTORNEY E. K. MADAN DIAL Filed Sept. 5, 19:56 2 Sheets-$11991; 2

2 I I 9 I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I n I Enwean K. Mam-m.

I VENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May23, 1939' PATENr'joFFioa mar. Edward 1;. Medan, Maplewood, N. 1'. Application September 5, 1m. Serial No. cases Ii Claims. This invention relates-to dials, and more particularly to dials or analogous surfaces which are particularly applicable for use in radios, advertising signs, or the like.

5 An object of the present invention is to provide a dial which has a curved surface through which or on which indicia are visible, which dial is constructed of a resinous material. highly transparent, the light absorbing proclivities of which 10 are such as to effectively illuminate the indicia by edge lighting, uniformly over curved surfaces without, objectionable reflection or refraction of panying drawings, showing a dial of the preferred form embodying the invention, and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

dial. Figure 2 is a. cross section through the improved dial taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure '3 is a fragmentary rear elevation of the 30 dial. v

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of the dial.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the m odi-' fled-form of the dialtaken on the line 5-5 of I 35 Figure 4.

Figurefi is a front elevation of a further modified form of the-dial.

Figure '7 is a cross section through the dial shown in Figure 6'and taken on the line 1-1 of 40 Figure 6.

Figure 8' is a front elevation partly in section of an advertising device, employing a still fur ther modified form of the dial.

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on the 45 line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Referring more particularly to the drawings;

the preferred form ofdial shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings is particularly adapted for use in connection with radios, although it maybe I 50 used in advertising, devices or for any other suitable purpose to which it, in modified forms, as

covered by the claims herein, is applicable.

The improved dial comprises. the cylindrical .body I which is formedofa methyl-methacrylate, 55 or, in other words, a polymerized derivative of 5 Figure 1 is afront elevation of the improved methacryiic acid which is highly transparent and embodies light abmrbing prociivities which prevent objectionable refraction and reflection of light projected thereon or therethrough, 'yet diffuses the light rays evenly throughout the s entire dial for attractive, effective illumination of the dial, and any indicia or characters thereon. The cylindrical body I shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings has a plurality of facets 2, I and 4 cut longitudinally thereof at the rear side of 10 the dial, and these facets or longitudinally extending flat surfaces have suitable indicia indicated at 5 either impressed therein as clearly shown in Figure 2 of the drawings, or printed, engraved, or otherwise formed thereon. Due to 1 the light diffusing properties of the methylmethacr'ylate of which the'dial is formed, it has been found 'to be advantageous to impress or engrave'the indicia in the facets so as to provide v transverse surfaces thereon for catching and holding the light to more effectively illuminate the indicia.

The indicia 5 are relatively small on the facets and are viewed through the cylindrical body I which causes a magnifying of the indicia viewed sothat they stand out clearly and distinctly from the front or viewside of the dial. Owing to the cylindrical shape of the body I of the dial, only I the indicia on the facet which is disposed perpendicularly or vertically may be viewed through the dial, and thus only one row of. this indicia is a visible from the view side of the dial at a time,

,and to bring either of. the other rows of indicia to view, the dialmust be turned a part rotation to move the facet carrying the indicia to be viewed into position with its flat transverse surface vertical. While in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings the dial body I is shown as having three facets cut or ground thereon, it is to be understood that any number of facets, either one or 40 I more, bearing any suitable indicia, may be pro-' vided on the dial without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Owing to the light absorbing and'dii'lusing proclivities'oi the methyl-methacrylate of which the 45.

an edge or end lighted radio dial.

which the dial is made, the indicator Il may be positioned back or inwardly of the dial it. In

these Figures 4 and 5, electric lights'or lamps l5 and it. are shown, one "of which is placed above thedial it at its upper longitudinal edge to provide edge illumination of the dial with the light bulb hidden by the cabinet II which carried the dial. The light bulb I3 is placed at the end of the dial to provide end or end-edge lighting of the dial. These light bulbs are merely shown diagrammatically to illustrate that the dial may be edge lighted in any approved manner from any of its edges, and due to the light absorbing and, transfusing properties of the material of which the dial is made, the dial will be evenly and uniformly illuminated over its entire surface irrespectiveofthe specific position of the light "bulb.

" Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings show a fur: ther modified form of dial particularly adapted for-use in radios, and this modified form of dial is curved longitudinally as clearly shown in Figure 7 of the drawings, that is, the dial 20 is curved uniformly from end to end in contradis- 'tinction from side to side as is the dial 13. The convex viewing side 21 of the dial 20 is positioned outwardlywith. the concave surface 22 inwardly, and the indicator or pointer 23 is preferably positioned rearwardly of the dial. The indicia 24 without departing from the spirit of the present may be printed'upon or impressed or engraved in either the front convex surface II or the inner or rear concave surface 22 of the dial, but it "is preferably placedupon the inner concave surface. This dial 20 may be edge lighted in the same manner as is shown in connection with the dial ill, which is also true of the cylindrical dial i shown in Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings.

Figures 8 and 9 show a further modifiedform of the dial, and a difierent application or use of such dial, and while this modified form shown in Figures 8 and 9 is illustrated in connection with an advertising device, it is to be understood" that this form of dial as well as the other three forms shown in Figures 1 to '1 inclusive, may be used in radios, advertising devices, or any other adaptable use .without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In Figures 8 and 9, the dial 30 is made of a sheet of the highly transparent material, such as a polymerized derivative of methacrylic acid, and it is sinuously curved, pre

senting a convex-concavo front or. viewing sur-' face and a concavo-convexo rear surface 32. In this form of dial, the indicia indicated at 33 are preferably printed or imprssed on the front viewing side or face, although they may be placed on the rear side :2 if desired. The dial to 05 drawings, the container 36 is illustrated as a rectangular box, but it may be any shape desired invention.

' A. pluralityof electric lights 31 are placed in the container, and these lights are preferably of 3,139,096 7 different colors, as for instance, one of thenr'may be red and one the ordinary white, or one red and another blue, or green, or any color combination desired may be employed. The light bulbs 31 are connected in circuit with a suitable source 38 of electrical energy, and an intermittent energizer or flasher 39 is connected in the circuit so that the light bulbs will be alternately and in- .termittently energized. Thecontainer 36 is preferably opaque except for the light transmitting space 40 therein which may be an opening or a' transparent section as desired. The light trans- -mitti'ng portion 40 is positioned so that the light from the bulbs 31 will be directed upon the convexo-concavo view front surface 3i of the dial -30. Due to the light absorbing and diffusing properties of the material of which the dial is formed, the light rays transmitted to the dial from the lightbulbs will be evenly diffused or distributed throughout the dial and will uniformly illuminate the curved surfaces of the dial and v The container 36 is also shown as having a representation of the goods advertised 'mounted thereon and as shown at 4 I. This representation of the goods may also be made of the same material as the dial and may be illuminated through a light transmitting opening or space 42 in the container 33 orif it is so desired, the representation of the goods 4| may be eliminated and one of the actual goods for sale and which is advertised may be removably placed upon the container, so that it may be changed at will. Due to the ease. with which the dial 3!! may be connected to the container 33, the dial may be easily and quickly changed at will, so as to advertise several different products by means of asingle illuminating device.

While in Figures 8 and 9 the, dial is shown as having a convexo-concavo front or; viewing surface, it is to be understood that the dial may have any kind of a curved surface, embodying a plurality of oppositely curved surfaces in any rela= tion to each other without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is also to be understood that if it is so desired, the rear face of the dial may be dulled or sanded, colored any desired color, or a colored backing sheet may be employed with the dial asindicated at 42, in dotted lines in Figure 9 of /the drawings for changing the eflect of,the'dial without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It will beunderstood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement 'of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is: e 1. As a new article of manufacture, a dial constructed of a polymerized derivative of methacrylic acid having a convex obverse face and having a reverse side of different shape than its. obverse face, indicia on said reverse side'and visible through said convex obverse face, and illuminating means for the dial placed beyond the outer limits of the-diaL- 2. As a new article of manufacture, a dial formed of a solid cylindrical body of a polymerized derivative of methacrylic acid, and indicia on a part of the exterior surface of the cylindrical and visible axially'through the body.

3. As a new article of manufacture, a dial formed of a solid cylindrical body of a polymerized derivative of methacryllc acid and indicia on a part of the exterior surface-of the cylindrical rivative of methacrylic acid, said cylindrical body having a flatfacet thereon, and indicia on said facet and visible through said body.

5. As a new article of'manui'acture, a dial comprising a cylindrical body of a polymerized derivative of methacrylic acid, said dial having a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel facets thereon, and indicia on said facets and visible through thebody.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a dial comprising a cylindrical body'of a polymerized derivative of methacrylic acid, said dial having a facets.

EDWARD K. MADAN. 

